Swivel connection for electric conductors.



W. S. BACON.

SWIVEL CONNECTION FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

AfPLlCATION FILED APR. 10. 1915. I v

Patented Mar.

v v [nwmar I with/ways. I

. ST s PATENT. O

WILLIAM S. BACON, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO OTTO KESSLER, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. I 3

SWIVEL comvncrron r03 ELECTRIC conooc'rons.

State of California, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Swivel Connections for Electric Conductors, lowing is a specification.

This invention relatesto swivel connections for electric conductors, and more particularly to such conductors as are ordin'arily used for electric lighting and telephone connections, etc.

The prime object of this invention is the provision of a means, embodying a swivel joint, which may be interposed upon a w re convenient polnt or series of wires at any between an immovable end and a movable end, so as to prevent twisting and kinking of such wires, when being moved" about.

For instance, on a telephone of the desk type, the wiring connections between the bell box and the transmitter-stand very often become twisted and kinked from constant use and moving of the transmitter-stand, thereby greatly shortening thelife of the wires. Furthermore such kinking of the wire connections prevents the stand from being transported to the limit of the full and normal length of the cord.

The device comprises members swivelly connected together and provided -with means whereby electrical energy is uninterruptedly transmitted therethrough, and constructed in such a manner as to insure perfect electrical contact, ease of operation, and adequate insulation.

The construction and operation of the device will be more clearly set forth in the following specification, to the accompanying. drawings, in which:

Figure 1 ing the application of the device to a typical business telephone, of the desk type. Flg. 2 is a view in vertical section through the center of the device. Fig. 3 is a view in transverse section, as seen on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section, as seen on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar view taken as indicated by line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a typical contact ring,-

Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed April 10, 1915. Serial No. 20,420.

of which the fol-' reference being had is a view in side elevation show-' Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

rings in contact. Fig. 8 is a detailed perspective view of a modified spring washer wlth the electric conductor formed integral therewith. Fig. 9 is a detailed perspective 7 view of a contact-ring used in connection with the spring washer shown in Fig. 8.

My device consists of a pair of insulating core members 11 and 12. For the purpose of this description it will be assumed that core member 12 is stationary and core member 11 is mounted rotatable in relation thereto but it is obvious that member 11 may be regarded as stationary and member 12 as rotatable. The core members are of: cylindrical shape and the stationary member 1s provided at its upper end with an upstanding flange 25. The rotatable member 11 has the end engaging the stationary member cut away, as at 26, forming a'circular shoulder adapted to engage flange 25. The reduced end formed by said cut away portion is of lesser height than the height of flange 25 thereby forming a cylindrical chamber 27 between the two core members. An insulating disk 28 of slightly smaller dimension than the cylindrical chamber 27 is disposed therein. Said disk is provided with a plurality of bores 15? arranged in a series of concentric circles whose center is the center of said disk. Mounted in said sure a perfect contact the face of the rings engaging the ball bearings is grooved conforming to the curvature of the ball bearings extending above the surface of the disk. Each of said rings is formed integral with an electric conductor 30 passing parallel to the longitudinal axis of said core members. In order to insure perfect contact between the contact rings and the ball bearings, a split ring Washer 40 is provided for each contact ring disposed between-the core member and said ring. the conductor of each ring being disposed in the slot of ,the spring washer holding the latter against rotation.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the electric coni ductor as formed integral with the spring -connected to said stationary central rod 13,

1 provide a flatarm-32 pivoted to rod13 at one end and securedto the wire fixture at- -the other, whereby on the rotation of core member 11 the wire fixture connected to central rod 13 may freely rotate about said rod. It is obviousthat central rod 13 need not be used as anelectric conductorand only the conductors making contact with the ball bearings may be used. Itis also obvious that the number of conductors and the corresponding contact rings and series of ball bearings may be increased to correspond to the number of electric conductors which it its desired to connect. The terminals 33 of the conductors extending beyond the body of the core members serve also as binding posts for the wire fixtures. A semi-cylindrical cap 34 covering said binding .posts and ends of conductors is secured to'each end of the core members, and is provided-at its apex with an insulating ring 35 through which the central cord 36 containing the electric conductors passes.

From the foregoing description the operconnection will be easily ation of my swivel understood. The electric currents passing through the conductor of one core member to the contact rings which are also electric conductors, will pass through ball bearings 15,'w hich serve the double function of conductors and anti-friction bearings to the contact rings on the opposite side of said ballbearings, and from said rings the current passes through the conductors of the other core member. Since the contact rings are always intouch with the ball bearings it will be seen that an-electric conductor is established between the conductor of one core member and the conductor of the other core member irrespective of the position of the rotatable core member to the stationary one.

Changes in the construction of my device, without departing from the spirit of my invention and within the scope of the appended claims, will occur to' those skilled in the art.

I claim:

.1. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair. of cylindrical insulatlng cores, one of sad cores having. an

, bearings being electric conductors,

of slightly greater diameter than the thickness of said disk mounted in said bores so as to be freely rotatable therein, a pair of contact rings on opposite sides of each circle of bores, said contact rings and said ball a spring washer disposed between the core body and each ring and adapted to force said rings with yielding pressure against said ball bearings, separate electric conductors passing through each of said cores and each connected with one of said rings, a stationary conductor rodpassing through the central longitudinal axis of said coremembers and through the center of said disk, holding said cores together and allowing rotary movement of one core in relation 'to the other, an arm pivotally connected with said stationary conductor rod and securedto a wire conductor, and a pair of caps'covering the outer ends of the core members.

2. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of pivotally connected insulating cores, one of said cores havlng a recess at one of its ends-and forming a closed chamber with the end of the other core, a' circular insulating disk -rotatably mounted in said chamber, said disk being provided with bores, said bores being arranged in a plurality of concentric circles, ball bearings -,of slightly greater diameter than the thickness of the disk mounted in said bores and freely rotatable therein, contact rings interposed between said cores and said ball'bearings on oppositesides of said disk, each of said contact rings being adapted to engage one series of circularly arranged ballbearings and being grooved on its ball bearing engaging face, said contact rings and said ball bearings being electric conductors, springs for holding said rings against 'said ball bearings with yielding pressure, separate electric conductors passing through the longitudinal axis. of said cores, each of said conductors being connected with one of said rings, wire fixtures connected to'the terminals of said conductors at the outer ends of said cores, and caps inclosing the outer ends of said cores,-a rod on which said cores are mounted for relative rotary movement, said'rod passing through the central longitudinal axis of said cores and through the center of said disk.

3. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores, one of said cores having a recess at one of its ends and forming a closed cham* her with the end of the other core, a circular insulating disk rotatably mounted in said chamber, said disk being provided with bores, said bores being arranged in a plurality of concentric circles, ball bearings of slightly greater diameter than the thickness of the disk mounted in said bores and freely rotatable therein, contact rings interposed between said cores and said ball bearings on opposite sides of said disk, each of said contact'rings being adapted to engage the projecting portion of one series of the circularly arranged ball bearings, said contactrings and said ball bearings being'electric conductors, springs for holding saidrings against said ball bearings with yieldsaid disk.

v 4. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores, one of said cores having a recess at one of its ends and forming a closed cham-.

' her with the end of the other core, a circular insulating disk mounted in said chamber, said disk being provided with bores, said bores being arranged in a, plurality of concentric circles, ball bearings mounted in said bores and freely rotatable therein, contact rings interposed between said cores and said ball bearings on opposite sides of said disk, each of said contact rings being adapted to engage the upper part of one series of circularly arranged ball bearings, said contact rings and said ball bearings being electric against said ball bearings with .yielding conductors, springs holding said rings pressure, separate electric conductors passing through said cores, each of said conductors being connected with one of said rings, wire fixtures connected to the terminals of said conductors at the outer ends of said cores, a rod on which said cores'are mounted for relative rotary movement, said rod passing through the central-longitudinal axis of said cores and through th center ofsaid disk.

5. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores, one of said cores ha'ving'a recess at one of its ends and forming a closed chamber with the end of the other core, an insulating disk mounted 1n said chamber, said disk being provided with bores, said bores being arranged in a plurality of concentric circles,

ball bearings mounted in said bores and freely rotatable therein, contact ringsinterposed between said cores and said ball bearings on opposite sides of said disk, each of said contact rings being adapted to engage the upper part of one series of circularly arranged ball bearings, said contact rings and said ball bearings being electric conductors, means for holding said rings against said ball bearingswith yielding pressure, separate electric conductors passing through said cores, each of said conductors being electrically connected with one of said rings, wire fixtures connected to the terminals of said conductors at the outer ends of said cores, a rod passing through the cen-.

tral longitudinal axis of said cores and.

through the center of said disk, holding said cores together and allowing rotary movement of one core in relation to the other.

6. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores, one of said cores being provided with a disk chamber, an insulating disk mounted therein, said disk being provided with a plurality of sets of electric conductors, said sets of conductors being arranged in concentric circles, contactrings interposed between said cores and said conductors on opposite sides of said disk, said contact rings engaging said electric conductors, separate electric conductors passing through said cores, each of said last-named conductors being electrically connected with one of said rings, wire fixtures connected to the terminals of said lastnamed conductors, and means pivotally connecting said coresand allowing rotary movement of one core in relation to the other, the

axis of rotation passing through the center of said concentric circles.

7. A swivel connection for electr c conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores disposed end to end, an insulating disk mounted therebetween, said disk being provided with a plurality of setsof electric con ductors, said sets of conductors being arranged inconcentric circles, contact rings interposed on opposite'sides of said disk between said cores and said conductors and engaging the latter, separate electric conductors passing through said cores, each of said last-named conductors being electrically connected with one of-said rings, wire fixtures connected to the terminals of said lastnamed conductors, and means connecting relation to eachother.

8. A swivel connection for electric conductors comprising a pair of insulating cores disposed end to end, an' insulating. disk mounted therebetween, said disk being prosaid cores and allowing rotary movement in:

I tion to the other, and an anm pivotally con- I nected with saidrod and secured to an electric conductor. y

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th 15 I day of March, 1915.

V g WILLIAM S? BACON. Witnesses: FLORENCE E. LEA,

J OSIAH. L. GELLEs. 

